Rafa Hardcover – August 31, 2011

When Jimmy Connors stopped playing tennis, I quit watching. When Rafa beat Federer in Miami at age 18, I started watching again. Many commentators say Rafa plays with the same fighting spirit as Jimmy. I’ve always wondered where the fight comes from, how he keeps on winning and what motivates him. There are obvious answers given in articles and by broadcasters during a match or interview. Reading this book. . .(finally!) I understand a lot more. It’s a fun read, learning little details about what he was thinking during specific matches I’ve watched more than once. Mostly, it is as inspiring and motivating as Rafa himself when he’s playing every ball as if it were championship point. It’s the kind of book that makes plain what is required of a Champion besides talent. It is well written and makes me want to go do something. At 80. After this read, I believe it’s possible to still achieve something with a natural God-given talent I’ve been told about and recognized in myself most of my life. Will I do it? If I do, Rafa Nadal will be mentioned in the credits.

Really liked learning about Rafa—the man—, a product of his family & his team. Seemed a little slow in the early part, with heavy focus on Wimbledon 2009 as pivotal—revenge vs Roger.

RAFA is a remarkable book which gives amazing insights into the mind of a tennis legend. The way he prepares before a game, his mental state during a game, his methods of handling the disappointments and the successes of the tennis court - all of this makes RAFA a fascinating read.The book has a unique format in which the first person account by Nadal is interspersed with chapters by John Carlin. The chapters by Nadal mainly talk about some of the important matches of his fledging tennis career, starting with THE MATCH - the Wimbledon 2008 final; his surprisingly strong family ties and its impact on his game; his domineering uncle and coach for 20 years - Toni and of course, his never say die spirit which is visible in most of his matches, among other things.As the chapters go on, the book slowly uncovers the duality of Rafael Nadal - the one on the tennis court and the other off it. The one on the court is a gladiator who fights till the end, never gives up, doesn't know what fear is and ruthlessly decimates his opposition. The one off the tennis court is a soft, insecure lad , a boy next door, who is scared of dog, who is uncomfortable driving a bicycle or a motorbike and one who is scared of flying in a helicopter ! The contrast cannot be more starker.The importance he gives to his family and friends and in turn their impact on his game is mentioned throughout the book. After a remarkable year of 2008 when he won both French Open and Wimbledon and became No.1 for the first time, 2009 was a big let down, when he was dogged by injuries, when he lost in French Open for the first time and eventually lost the No.1 ranking. As he writes, this dip in his career was as much due to the separation of his parents as due to external factors like injuries and loss of form. In fact, according to him, the mental trauma he experienced due to his parent's separation was actually the root cause for most of his injuries during that time.In the final part of the book he also mentions his rather strange relationship with his uncle and coach - Toni. Though he gives a lot of credit to Toni for installing in him the fighting spirit of a gladiator and making him the tennis player he is now, he also mentions couple of incidents where he thinks Toni crossed the line. There are nuggets spread throughout book about their relationship and if you connect the dots you feel as if Nadal is only 'tolerating' Toni because of his gratitude towards Toni for making him what he is now. But again, that is only my interpretation.Overall, RAFA is an inspirational read. Through a living example the book tells that to succeed you have to make sacrifices, to succeed you need to have discipline and dedication, to succeed you have to fight till the last point. Nothing comes easy in this world, but if you put an honest effort, nothing is too difficult to achieve !

I am enjoying the Rafa memoir. Initially, I wondered how a memoir could be written so early in this young man's life, and not be "fluff" for over 270 pages. I quickly learned that not only is there no fluff, it sucked me in as a reader.The format is almost like "Forrest Gump" in print. It starts with Rafa prepping for his 2008 Wimbledon match against Roger Federer, the slam he's always wanted to win. Rafa writes somewhat of a diary/journal entry of his thought as he gets ready for the match. And as he goes through these motions, he has "flashbacks" of times earlier in life that has gotten him to where he's at: lessons he's learned, the family's who's been a solid foundation of support, and the human side of of who Rafa's become of these things. The flashbacks come back to the present match and integrates itself whole.Once a short entry of that match is read, John Carlin interjects with words and mini vignettes/interviews from family and friends who fill the "gaps" of the thought processes of how Rafa thinks and what he's become.The story then heads back to that Wimbledon match and Rafa writes more. The cycle continues.I bought this book right as I was about to go to sleep and ended up reading nearly 20% of the book and took it to work to read during my lunch. I could not put it down, but had to because the eyes were drooping. At this rate, the book will not make it to the weekend. Rafa draws me in and paints a story of an every day man who happens to do something extraordinary professionally. Nadal speaks with desires of a simple life and yet, with a profound sense of thought of in how to approach it. Tennis is the backddrop of this story, but many life lessons are learned as well as we watch someone grow into their own.UPDATE 9/9/11:I finished the book and it was quite satisfying. The memoir covers the first 25 years of Rafa's life, but there was much that's happened within that time: mentally, physically, and emotionally. Rafa and Carlin explain the moments in time and their impact upon who Rafa is today and will become.Is the book premature in its writing? Yes and no. I thought that the book should have been done after his career was over so we get the "full scope." However, by writing the book now while still actively competing, Rafa lets the readers understand who and what he is now. I have been following Rafa throughout this 2011 U.S. Open and the memoir has shed a different perspective on how I view Rafa's mentality on court, for the press, and how he carries himself. In short, it's an even more intriguing 'front row ticket' into someone's life.

This book is priceless. Open, straight and deliciously honest, this gives a first-hand account of both - Rafa the tennis champion and Rafa the human being. It also depicts how these two people are so different from each other - Rafa the human is beset with doubts and insecurities, is indecisive, is scared of thunder, lightning and the dark and is wary and scared of any small incursion that can upset his tightly knit family life. Rafa the tennis player, in stark contrast, is a decisive, ruthless, super-competitive champion and is the epitome of endurance - something that has been etched into his conscience by his uncle, coach and friend - Toni. The book offers a deep dive into every aspect that makes Rafa who he is today - the fiercely protective and closer-than-close family that gives Rafa the emotional stability he needs and thrives on, the dogmatic Toni who brings Rafa to train at 9 AM despite any late-night sojourns or a match the previous day and who keeps him grounded by constantly reminding him that he is nothing special and that to endure when all seems lost is what will set him apart, his team - Titin, Tuts and the rest who always manage to keep him game ready and the mental make-up of Rafa himself.Written uniquely - the Wimbledon 2008 finals interspersed with Rafa's words on his childhood and growing up years and those of someone else who has seen and worked with him lends a beautiful lucidity to the book. The bits about the Wimbledon 2008 finals, in particular, are gripping and give us a glimpse of what usually transpires in a player's mind during one of the biggest matches of his career. It not only confirmed my belief that tennis is a game of mind over matter but also demonstrated in more occasions than one, how Rafa's single-minded concentration, his ability to endure, his desire for victory and his never-say-die attitude overcame all - injury, history, rankings and expectations. Rafa, unlike Federer, always gave the impression that he was human and prone to error and injury - something which Rafa admits to on more occasions than one. How he admits to all his flaws and opens up his private emotions and thoughts at the most definitive moments of his life is endearing, to say the least. In addition to all this, the book offers valuable life lessons in endurance, hard work, grabbing opportunities, never giving up, discipline and humility more than any others that I have read in recent times. Vamos Rafa! You have converted me.

Thoroughly enjoyed this book that gave a fascinating insight to this supremely successful tennis player. It pulled no punches but truly showed the suffering, dedication and tenacity required to make it to the top. Perhaps best of all was the insight into the devoted family man that Rafa truly is. Family means everything to him and regardless of where he is in the world, this comes through in this no holds barred autobiography. A very enjoyable and interesting read.

Rafael Nadal has always seemed unusual, both as a tennis player and as a human being, and his book gives a fascinating insight into what makes him tick.While it's written by a ghost writer, Mr Nadal's personality comes through very strongly, and it seems consistent with what you see him do on court, and off it as well. On court he is focused, courteous, powerful and always dangerous, with some breathtaking moves and the ability to hang in there and win on important occasions, even against opponents who were initially rated higher than he was. Off court he seems shy, again courteous, and incredibly modest and generous, both in victory and if he happens to lose. He does not give a lot away.I assumed that possibly this is because he is (or seems to be) uncomfortable speaking English, but after reading this book I've come to understand that his reserve is more than a language barrier. It's the way he remains 'normal.' It's very reassuring to know that not every 'celebrity' is in love with the condition.I found the parts of the story which deal with his family life, his career advancement, his training regimes and other external matters very interesting, but what really riveted me was his personal blow-by-blow description of his important matches. This is wonderful insight into what a tennis player actually has to do during a match, what comes naturally to him, what he has to consciously work at, and most interesting of all ...what his mind does during a match.While other tennis players will no doubt react differently and think differently than Rafael Nadal, they all face the same challenges. It's very interesting to get insight into what these challenges actually are. I know I will never watch ANY tennis match again without being aware of these mental and physical challenges, and it will be interesting to watch how each player handles them.I came away from this book feeling very informed. I like sports, but I'm not a competitive person, so it's interesting to read the views of someone who is. Rafael Nadal has (barring injury) many years left to play at the top level, I hope ...but this book left me wondering what he will do after his playing career comes to an end. This will be bulk of the rest of his life. How will he apply what he's learned so well to other aspects of his life?There are interesting hints, especially when he says he was dismayed to learn just how little money most athletes outside of the big spectator sports have at their disposal for training purposes. He recognises that they all train just as hard as he does, but have little in the way of support. I hope that after his tennis career is over, he will turn his intelligence and focus to helping other athletes gain the financial backup they need to excel. It's one way he could advance and remain at the top of the sporting world, after his last tournament is played. I think he has a great deal of potential, and will remain a success no matter what he does with his life.All in all, a very good read, and a very thought-provoking insight into a very unusual man.

I am a Rafa fan so it is no surprise that I was going to enjoy reading it but what I didn't realise that I was going to enjoy it so much that I just couldn't put the book down. It is an emotional book and felt like a personal experience of getting close to Rafa. I saw Rafa up close once at Wimbledon and it was a memorable moment. I like the way this book is structured that after every match/public information chapter there is a bit about Rafa's personal life so I felt really close to Rafa and his family. I always had immense respect for Rafa and his family but after reading this book I can see why they are loved by so many people. True sport icon, Vamos!

I already bought the paper version of this amazing book as soon as it was released (I'm a huge fan!) and this read is incredibly inspiring, detailed and emotional. I love to read this book over and over again when I need some motivation in life. Seeing what Nadal had to endure to get to the top really helped me in going the extra mile in everything I do in my life.Not to mention that the insights and feeling of the epic 2008 Wimbledon final kept my eyes glued to the book! I know that final by heart, I even bought the DVD, so that I can watch it again and reading the behind the scenes through Nadal's emotions was awesome. He's definitely one of the most down to earth sportsmen alive.The book itself is extremely well written, it flows easily and you won't be able to stop reading till the end, even if you know exactly what is going to happen (at least I knew, being a super fan), and even I wasn't bored at all.Highly recommended, whether you are a fan or not.